Behind Every Great Man
by peroxidepest17
Summary: Spitfire gets some advice from a seasoned pro.


**Title:** Behind Every Great Man  
**Universe:** Air Gear  
**Theme/Topic: **Kings  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Character/Pairing/s:** Lightly SpitfirexNue, RikaxSora  
**Warnings/Spoilers:** None I can imagine, just the usual OOC and stupidity. XD;;  
**Word Count:** 905  
**Summary:** Spitfire gets some advice from a seasoned pro.  
**Dedication:** kinoscythe's request on my holiday request thread! **  
A/N:** LOL This was deceptively hard, but hopefully not too unbelievable.   
**Disclaimer:** Not mine, though I wish constantly.  
**Distribution:** Just lemme know.

* * *

Spitfire had a great respect for Sora—as all kings ought to—but Nue thought that that respect sometimes seemed to extend beyond a merely professional interest and into something much more personal.

It was kind of disconcerting. And maybe a little annoying at the same time.

Beyond that it was also something—frustratingly enough— that Nue couldn't quite figure out completely, when before, Spitfire had always seemed like a simple enough sort of person to read. The young lighting king, despite his best efforts, really couldn't figure out what kind of personal relationship it was between the two, exactly.

Sometimes it seemed just like Spitfire's relationship with Simca—familial, friendly, nurturing.

And then sometimes it seemed like a secret club between the two of them, like they were co-conspirators talking about something no one else was supposed to be privy to. Dark, shadowy, with unclear motives. And that was when Nue found it the most frustrating, because while he wasn't personally interested in the shady types of things perverted old men like them did, he was a bit put out because he knew that he was a king too, that he was as strong and skilled and as powerful in his element as they were in theirs, so why didn't they ever attempt to include him in their little club meetings, let him know the secret code behind what those sideways looks and quiet laughter all meant?

Maybe it was childish of him to want the invitation and not the membership, but he couldn't help but feel just a little bit slighted on the matter regardless, especially considering he was supposed to be their _peer_ and _equal_.

Given the pairs' often smarmy personalities, he knew he definitely wouldn't have stooped to joining them in their immature antics per se, but either way, it still would've been nice to be _invited _to the party in the first place.

"They're probably not talking about anything important," Rika said to him one day, as they watched Spitfire laugh at something Sora said and Sora point vaguely in the direction of Nue and his girlfriend.

Ignoring them, he simply eyed her and shrugged. "Whatever. It doesn't matter to me what they talk about."

She smirked at his uppity tone and looked like she wanted to ruffle his hair or something. He stepped ever so slightly sideways— just out of her reach— incase she was thinking on following through with it. He really _hated_ it when people ruffled his hair. The static was appalling.

"I don't really care either," she agreed after a moment, and instead, stood up and asked Spitfire, "so, are you two planning to stay for dinner?"

"Oh no," Spitfire answered, politely. "We wouldn't want to impose. Just here for a quick social visit."

Nue kind of glared at the redhead from across the room at that, because he didn't like being spoken for when he was perfectly capable of doing it himself. However, he didn't say anything given that Spitfire's assessment had been correct, if a bit presumptuous.

Spitfire smiled at him from the couch.

"You're welcome ta stay if ya'd like, boys," Sora felt obligated to put in.

"I'm used to feeding extra mouths without any notice," Rika agreed, though looked pointedly at Sora. "So long as he has more than beer and baking soda in the fridge."

The former sky king smiled sheepishly at her. "Stocked to the brim, general," he assured her, saluting.

She rolled her eyes but didn't really look as exasperated as she wanted her guests to believe she was. Sora grinned.

Spitfire observed them both, and there was something warm in his expression that made Nue stop and stare at it longer than usual. It was kind of weird.

"It's fine, Rika, Sora. Nue and I really should go."

Rika shrugged. "Suit yourselves. I make a hell of a sukiyaki."

"Next time," Spitfire promised, and shared a look with Nue.

Nue blinked. "Uh, yeah, it's fine. I probably ought to get home too." He didn't know why he was backing Spitfire so readily on this one, but he just was, and he could have sworn on the way out, the redhead and the former sky king shared an amused, knowing look.

It put Nue ever so slightly on edge.

"What do you always talk to him about when you come here anyway?" the smaller boy asked Spitfire after a moment, just outside the door of Sora's place. He tried to sound casual about it.

Spitfire smile crookedly and looked down at the young lightning king, hands in his pockets. "He just gives me some advice every now and again," Spitfire murmured, before tossing a look over his shoulder as Sora laughed and stole a kiss from Rika, who blushed and smacked at him halfheartedly before closing the door behind their guests.

Nue fought the urge to roll his eyes at the blatant PDA. "Advice about what?"

Spitfire's smile broadened, almost imperceptibly. "Oh you know, the usual stuff. Being a king." He leaned a little bit closer then, and the timbre of his voice changed, got lower. "Finding a good queen."

Nue blinked, and suddenly, his instincts were on full alert—for something, he wasn't sure what. "W-what? A…a what?"

Spitfire chuckled and reached out to ruffle the smaller boy's hair. "I'll show you when you're older. Promise."

For some reason, Nue wasn't sure he liked the sound of that.

**END**


End file.
